Ready or Not
by MyCrAzyWorld
Summary: It's the morning after Emma sacrificed herself to save the entire town and Killian is struggling with what to do next. Should he stay and fight for the woman he loves or simply accept fate and live his life alone? Will Emma help him make a choice? Is he ready?


**So while writing my other Captain Swan story there were a lot of spoilers and interviews that just fed my creativity. I didn't want to allow those into my already planned out story, but had oneshots playing in my mind. Now that I have finished Eclipsed I'm excited to try my hand at other stories!**

 **I want to first say this is SPOILERISH for those who don't follow on Tumblr or look at filming posts…if you don't like spoilers this might not be the one for you, but obviously not because all I'm doing is taking a picture and creating a scenario. This story came to me after someone posted photos from set of Colin and Jen filming on the street. I saw that picture and a dozen different ideas came to me about when could Killian and Emma be talking about. This is one of those ideas that I couldn't let go of.**

 **Description: It's the morning after Emma sacrificed herself to save the entire town and Killian is struggling with what to do next. Should he stay and fight for the woman he loves or simply accept fate and live his life alone? Will Emma help him make a choice? Is he ready?**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing! Not even the spoiler pics taken from set!**

Killian woke with a start, his head jerking up and looking around, confused by his surroundings. It took him a minute to orient himself and recognize that he was on the couch in David and Mary Margaret's living room. After the events of last night Mary Margaret refused to let Killian go home to his empty ship, not that he argued too much. In fact the only real point Killian had argued against was when she had insisted he could sleep in Emma's bed since it was more comfortable than the couch. It took David's intervening to get her to realize that that might be just too hard for Killian to face right now. Emma's bed…in her room and all her belongings…except there was no Emma. Killian had accepted the offer of the couch graciously and the three of them turned in soon after. No one really felt like talking. There really wasn't anything they could say to make them feel better.

In the harsh light of day Killian still didn't know what to say to make any of them feel better. In fact, if it were possible, he felt even worse than he had the night before.

In the moments after Emma had disappeared into that black vortex, leaving the dagger engraved with her name behind, they all had stood frozen. Killian had been the first to break out of his reverie and made a beeline for the dagger. Gripping it firmly in his hand and holding it up as he called for Emma to come back. Except he hadn't called for Emma, he called for the Dark One, because that was who Emma is now. Except she never appeared, even after Killian called for her again. He would've kept calling for her until he was hoarse, but the others stopped him.

It was in that moment Killian really felt a part of him was lost without Emma. And he knew that without her he would slowly lose himself and everything he had fought to regain. Without her he had no reason…no meaning to be here. Perhaps it was that Mary Margaret had saw on his face last night and it was why she insisted he come home with them. To remind him that he was not alone without Emma.

Sitting up and tossing the blanket he had been given the night before aside, Killian sits silently alone and tries to wrap his head around the task at hand. It was one he was quite familiar with, having lived for 300 years with only one goal in mind, except the end result was totally different. Now instead of killing Killian wanted to save the Dark One. Except in all his years he still didn't know how to do either. He'd rather face another blasted Wicked Witch or Snow Queen!

The young Prince Neal broke the silence in the apartment by crying out. Killian soon heard the quiet movement coming from that part of the apartment as both parents try to quiet the infant and rise for the day. Feeling a sudden need to escape before having to face the pair and the inevitable conversation about what they were going to do. Killian knew they were going to have to talk about it at some point, but right now it just didn't feel right. He needed some time between have watched the woman he loves disappearing before his eyes and starting the challenging journey bringing her back. So he silently slips out of the apartment before David or Mary Margaret appear from the bedroom.

Killian slipped out of the apartment and exited the building with no real destination in mind. He could go to his ship, but he was afraid if he did that feeling the way he was now he might just pull anchor and sail away, because it was all becoming too much. How much more did one man have to take before enough was enough? Walking aimlessly, contemplating leaving Killian comes to an abrupt halt when he turns the corner and sees Emma's yellow contraption parked.

A Beetle is what she called it. Which made no sense to Killian, where he came from beetles were bugs that his men were ordered to kill before they became a nuisance. But it was hers and just the sight of it brought back so many memories. Like the time he had to watch Emma drive away, not knowing if he would ever see her again after Regina reversed her curse. Things had worked out that time, but then they weren't up against such insurmountable odds. Stepping towards the car Killian reaches out his hand and rests it against the cool metal and for the moment Emma doesn't feel so far away.

"Well isn't this just sad." Comes a cold, callous voice from behind Killian, startling him because he wasn't prepared for it and beneath that eerie cool he recognized the voice.

"Emma…" Killian whirls around quickly, his surprise quickly turning from one of joy to one of alarm. Because going along with the ice in her voice was a whole new look, one that screamed dark, angry, cold. It was just wrong, all wrong. Gone was the warm and welcoming Emma that Killian knew and loved. He barely recognized this woman before him, if it weren't for the green eyes staring back at him Killian would wonder if this really was the same woman. But he would recognize those eyes anywhere. "What has happened to you?" Killian asks the words, barely above a whisper.

"What?" Emma asks in that same icy voice, throwing her arms up to show off her entire look. She was wearing a fitted, black coat that was buttoned just this side of indecent, with the collar popped and flowed down to whirl just past her knees. The look was completed with black heels that were unlike any Killian had ever seen her wear before. "You don't like?" She fakes a wounded tone. "This look is inspired after you Captain." Emma says stepping closer now. "Figured you would appreciate the black. And the nice, tight fit." Emma says, accentuating the F in fit. Her eyes roaming up and down his body. "You use to be a man of style yourself, before you went all domesticated."

"This isn't you Emma." Killian says with a sad shake of his head.

"Oh that's where you're wrong." Emma says stepping even closer, there were only inches separating them now. "This is exactly who I am when I let go of all the questions…and concerns…and rules. I'm just a woman trying to enjoy herself and now that I've let go of my inhibitions that should be a whole lot easier." Emma reaches out now and with one finger runs it along Killian's chest. "Wanna join me?" She asks lowering her finger down his torso and hooking it in his pants, pulling him so they're standing chest to chest.

Killian had to clench his jaw to keep from reacting to both Emma's words and actions. He refused to look away, because that would be a form of surrender. If it was one thing he had learned in all his experiences with the Dark One in the past, you don't show them a weakness…you don't turn your back…and you don't simply surrender. "Not this way." Killian says each word carefully, not even blinking. Killian had to hold his arms out, afraid that if he were to touch her he might not be able to let go.

"Oh come on." Emma says not ready to give in yet. Using both hands now to grip Killian's jacket and holding him close. "What happened to the daring pirate who once told me he preferred to do other more enjoyable activities on his back with a woman? Or that when you jabbed me with your sword I'd feel it?" Emma asks with a sickly sweet, insincere smile.

Killian now wanted to look away in shame, because those were the very words he once spoke to Emma. Hearing them back now, he hated how pompous he had been. No wonder Emma had punched him. "I'm not that man anymore." Killian forces his voice to remain calm even though he feels anything but.

"It's too bad." Emma scoffs releasing him. "I should've taken a tumble with the past Captain Hook when I had the chance. At least he seemed to have a little fire still in him…unlike this pitiful excuse for a pirate standing in front of me." Emma says bored now. "You've gone soft Hook. It's no wonder I've been able to resist your less than passionate advances."

Killian tried to not let the words affect him, because he knew that this wasn't really Emma. But as much as he told himself that it didn't make it any easier to hear, to see. "I'm sorry to disappoint you Swan." Killian says clenching his teeth, refusing to allow anymore of an outward reaction.

"I'm used to disappointments." Emma says in that same bored tone. "My life has been full of them after all." She shrugs her shoulders. "But if you're not going to at least try to entertain me than I really have no use for you." Emma turns then and it looks as if she were going to walk away.

Killian was going to let her, too affected from her transformation to be prepared to handle any further confrontation. He needed to be alone with his thoughts and prepare himself for their next meeting. Except Emma wasn't done after all and her turning her back was just a ruse for him to let his guard down. Killian had been turning back to face the Beetle when he felt a icy stab to his chest. Holding in a cry of pain Killian simply grunts and faces Emma again, his gaze traveling from her face down her arm to where it disappears in his chest. "Emma…"

"It seems I do have one more use for you after all." Emma says her voice no longer bored. "You once said that your heart belonged to me." And with a crushing pain that Killian was now familiar with, Emma pulled his heart from his chest.

"What could you possibly want with my heart?" Killian asks with labored breaths. For the first time afraid of what Emma was actually capable of.

"For being a villainous pirate for centuries your heart looks remarkably red." Emma says holding Killian's heart up to the sunlight. "Does that mean you never were quite as bad as you made yourself out to be?"

"No." Killian says through clenched teeth and coming to stand at his full height again. "It means that I am a changed man. I did it for you Emma." Killian says ignoring the heart being held between them to stare at her. Because he was watching, Killian noticed not for the first time Emma's reaction to her name. It was only a flicker across her face, but it was the only break he had seen in her dark persona.

"Well wasn't that just gallant of you." Emma says still holding the heart in the air, but looking at Killian now. "And a total waste of your time. All that time and hard work for nothing."

"No Emma." Killian says and sees that same twitch on her face. "It wasn't for nothing. Because this isn't you Emma." Killian says stepping forward now and invading her space. "And I don't care how long it takes I will save you from this."

"Save me?" Emma laughs and takes an obvious step back to put distance between them. "Does it really look like I need saving to you? Look again Hook…I'm the one holding your heart in the palm of my hand. You look like you could use saving."

"You're not going to crush my heart Emma."

"Stop saying my name like that!" She finally snaps, finally lowering her arm holding his heart. "Stop looking at me like that too. It's pathetic. You're pathetic!"

"You don't really think that." Killian says stepping closer again and holding her gaze. "Do you Emma?"

"I said stop!" Emma shouts holding her arm holding his heart out in front of her to stop him. "Or I'll prove you wrong and crush your heart right now without getting what I want from you."

"What could you possibly want from a pathetic, weak pirate?" Killian asks, using her words against her now and he could see he was confusing her. Gone was the confident, dark Emma who had been toying with him. It gave Killian hope that his Emma was there, beneath the surface.

"I want my dagger." Emma says after a moment's hesitation. "I know you took it. What did you do with it?"

"How did you know I had it Emma?"

"I heard you calling for me." Emma sounds frustrate now, as if the situation had spun out of her control.

"You heard me, but you didn't come when I commanded you to. The dagger doesn't work on you, so why would you want it Emma?"

Emma opened her mouth to shout at him, but stopped herself and thought before speaking. "No I'm done answering your questions. It's my dagger, with my name on it. I want it and you had it." Holding his heart up Emma squeezes. "Give it to me."

Killian flinched at the sharp pain in his chest where his heart should be, but he clenched his jaw and shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I can't give it to you."

"Do you know what I could do to you?" Emma seethes, but her grip on his heart doesn't tighten.

"Yes." Killian says with a breathless laugh. "But I know that whatever reason you want that dagger, the real you equally wouldn't want you to have it."

"Don't you understand? This is the real me!" Emma shakes her head.

"No it's not Emma." Killian shakes his head. "The real you made one final request of your parents and I before you sacrificed yourself and that was to find a way to rid you of this darkness. And I will do everything in my power to fulfill your request, even if that means I perish today."

"What happened to being a survivor?" Emma asks and for the first time since their meeting she has lost the coldness to her voice. It was the most Emma she had been in that moment.

"Well it looks like that's up to you Love." He uses his favorite pet name for her, hoping that maybe it would get through.

They stand in complete silence, Killian never taking his gaze off of Emma's face and Emma's keeps jumping between his gaze and the heart in her hands. Killian stands still, unaware of the fact he was even holding his breath, waiting for this Emma to decide his fate. He didn't regret his choice or his words, because he knew that that's what his Emma would expect of him. Now he just hoped that she was in there somewhere.

Emma's gaze had been going back and forth between the heart and Killian's gaze. She was unsure of what to do and visibly mad at herself for not making the decision to crush his heart and be done with it. But as much as she tried she couldn't get her hand to tighten any further than it already was. "Well played Hook." Emma says, back to that same icy tone as before, her eyes glaring daggers into his. And then before Killian has a chance to blink she is shoving her hand with the heart back into his chest, even less gentle than the last time if that was possible, and pulled her empty hand free. "I'll keep you around for now, but don't think that I won't get rid of you if you continue to get in my way."

"We shall see." Killian says with a relieved breath and taking a small step back, it was hard to stay standing straight but he refused to bend in front of her.

"Don't think this means that your Emma is still in there somewhere waiting to come out." Emma scoffs.

"I thought you were the real Emma." Killian says holding her gaze and lifting his one eyebrow when her gaze goes dark on his. With nothing to say in return Emma simply waves her hands in front of her and in a black cloud of smoke she disappears from Killian's sight.

Killian instantly deflates under the pain he was feeling both physically and emotionally, having to lean back against the Beetle to keep himself upright. Lifting his hand to his chest he sighs in relief feeling it beating normally. He wondered how many times a heart could be tore from a body and squeezed before it suffered irreparable damage. He doesn't know how long he leans against the car before he catches his breath and is able to stand on his own. But once he does he makes his way to his ship, just to check on the dagger he had stowed in his quarters, in a cubby only he knew about.

As he walked he couldn't help but reflect on his encounter with Emma. It was painful to see her in that way, so far removed from the warm and caring woman that protected those around her at all costs. But at the same time he had gained valuable information, first that the dagger didn't work on Emma the way it had Rumpelstiltskin, but it still held significance with her. It was something they would have to guard closely.

The other, and more important to Killian, was that as dark as Emma appeared to be, it wasn't, as it seemed. He would assume the reason she didn't like the use of her name was because it made it harder for her to maintain her dark façade. She tried to distance herself from him with her action and her words to make it easier, but when he doesn't concede she lashes out. She had more than one opportunity and reason to crush his heart, but couldn't finish the task. All of which gave Killian much needed hope.

It would appear all was not lost. Emma was in Storybrooke and they just needed to stay one step ahead of her while they searched for Merlin and a way to rid her of the Darkness. Killian knew it would be hard, but nothing good came easy, that was what being a hero had taught him. So he would assure the dagger was hidden safely away and then he would return to David and Mary Margaret's apartment for the conversation he had wanted to avoid before.

He was ready now.


End file.
